1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hypodermic syringes, and more particularly, to an apparatus especially adapted for filling a hypodermic syringe to a desired level.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices designed to fill hypodermic syringes are well known in the art. For example, the following U.S. patents disclose some such known prior art syringe filling devices: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,662,517; 4,489,766; 4,844,249; 4,940,460; and 4,998,570. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,517 discloses a syringe filling apparatus that is highly complex and expensive. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that aided filling a syringe that is not highly complex and expensive. Also, with this device, the apparatus itself mechanically fills the syringe. The person who intends to use the syringe does not actually fill the syringe. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that aided filling a syringe that permitted the user of the syringe to fill the syringe.
Many diabetics are visually impaired. Filling a syringe with the proper amount of insulin may be a difficult and dangerous task with assistance of a visually unimpaired person. However, a visually unimpaired person is not always available. Therefore, it is desirable that a visually impaired person be able to satisfactorily handle the task of filling a syringe with a proper amount of medication without the assistance of a visually unimpaired person.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,766 discloses a syringe filling device that is specifically designed to aid a blind or visually impaired person to fill a syringe. A plurality of retractable spacers of different thicknesses are located in a gauge portion to limit the extraction of the syringe plunger and thereby to control the quantity of medicine drawn into the syringe. The spacers are rearrangeable and removable to preselect the medicine dosage filling the syringe. One disadvantageous feature of this device is the need for someone of normal sight to arrange or rearrange the retractable spacers. A person of normal sight may not be needed if the retractable spacers have braille indicia and if a blind person knows braille. However, for a visually impaired person who does not know braille, use of this device would still require the assistance of a visually unimpaired person.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,249 discloses a medical supplies container that includes a number of supports for vials which receive specimens from a needle and syringe. There is no provision for proper filling of the syringes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,460 discloses a patient-fillable and non-invasive hypodermic injection device assembly which includes a housing having an ampule-receiving chamber, a gas charge, and means for delivering a predetermined amount of gas to the ampule-receiving chamber. The complexities involved with a gas charge and means for delivering a predetermined amount of gas to the ampule-receiving chamber make this device unsuitable for use by a visually impaired patient. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that aided filling a syringe that is suitable for use by a visually impaired patient and that does not use a gas charge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,570 discloses a filling device for a syringe that has an audible indicator which indicates and counts intake of dosage into the syringe. More specifically, a microprocessor controlled voice chip is used to give a voice readout of the syringe. A problem associated with this device is its complexity. Another problem is its bulk and size. It is not conducive to being portable and easily used away from a source of electric power. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that aided filling a syringe that is simple, not bulky, easily portable, and does not depend upon a source of electricity for operation.
Some persons who are visually impaired are able to see quite well when suitable optical magnification is provided to magnify that which is looked at. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that aided filling a syringe that employed visual magnification to magnify the syringe.
In filling a syringe from an ampule, it is important to align and stabilize the ampule with respect to the needle and the attached syringe. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that aided filling a syringe and that includes means for aligning and stabilizing the ampule with respect to the needle and the attached syringe.
When an object is magnified, often it is necessary to supply artificial illumination to the magnified object so that it can be more readily seen. Sometimes, it is desirable if the artificial illumination takes the form of backlighting, as opposed to light falling directly on the object being illuminated. Backlighting oftentimes provides the desirable characteristics of eliminating interfering reflected light such as glare. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that aided filling a syringe that provided magnification and artificial backlighting.
The benefits of audible signals for the visually impaired are well known. As discussed above, U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,570 provides complex, computer-generated, artificial voice signals to provide information with respect to syringe filling. Yet it would be desirable to be able to derive benefits of audible signals in filling a syringe without needing complex electronic computer-generated audible signals.
Very often visually impaired persons can take care of necessary syringe filling tasks by being able to form consistent habits with respect to their specific syringe filling needs. More specifically, a visually impaired person may consistently use syringes of a certain size. By doing so one may calibrate an audible signal with respect to the measured volume of the syringe that is filled. A series of audible signals may be calibrated to coincide with a corresponding series of syringe volumes. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that aided filling a syringe that provided a series of audible signals that correspond to a series of syringe volumes.
On the other hand, syringes, needles, and ampules come in a wide variety of sizes and cross-sectional contours. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that aided filling a syringe that is capable of handling a wide variety of sizes and shapes of syringes, needles, and ampules.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use aids for filling syringes, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a visual magnification apparatus for a syringe which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) aids filling a syringe with apparatus that is not highly complex and expensive; (2) aids filling a syringe and permits the user of the syringe to fill the syringe; (3) aids filling a syringe by a visually impaired person that does not require the assistance of a visually unimpaired person; (4) aids filling a syringe that is suitable for use by a visually impaired patient and that does not use a gas charge; (5) is simple, not bulky, easily portable, and does not depend upon a source of electricity for operation; (6) aids filling a syringe that employs visual magnification to magnify the syringe; (7) aids filling a syringe and that includes means for aligning and stabilizing the ampule with respect to the needle and the attached syringe; (8) provides magnification and artificial backlighting for the syringe; (9) derives benefits of audible signals in filling a syringe without needing complex electronic computer-generated audible signals; (10) provides a series of audible signals that correspond to a series of syringe volumes; and (11) is capable of handling a wide variety of sizes and shapes of syringes, needles, and ampules. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique visual magnification apparatus for a syringe of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.